Improvement in fire-escape ladders



YANfT'I-IONI IsKE, or

ANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA'.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-ESCAPE LADDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,75, dated November 26, 1861.

To all whom t 7am/y concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONI ISKE, of Lancaster, in fthe county of Lancaster' and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and improved combination of section-ladders with upright extension sides mounted on wheels, constitutinga fire-escape apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of t-he construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification,l in which- Figure 1 isa perspective view, with the slattedcompound levers down, one of the side arms F down the and other, with its rope and pulley, perpendicular. Fig. 2 shows the extension ot the slats l to 19 with the sectionladders I, II to Vin place, the platform 23 resting against the window-sill of a four-story dwelling with the several parts employed, being a profile view of one side only. Fig. 3 shows the supporting-frame B B, zc., with its rack and pinion P M and windlass N, and the inside view of the lower slats and their connection, the. Fig. 4 is a proiile view of the same in part. Fig. 5 shows the manner of attaching the reel for the hose in part.

The object of this invention is to have a series of short ladders so constructed and suspended between the sides of the extensionelevators as with them to fold up and form a compact apparatus, sustained on a truck or carriage of the ordinary length, and also to admit of their elevation in a narrow alley in a perpendicular manner to any height from twenty to one hundred feet, and then inclined at any angle desired against a building, with its platform on top, to rescue persons from the upper stories ot' burning buildings, or to be used as a means of throwing water from a hose at such an elevated point-objects of the greatest utility in certain cases. To accomplish these objects I construct lny apparatus in the following manner-viz., on a truckframe supported by ordinary wheels, either curved on the sides, as shown byFig. (S, so as to elevate the truss-f rame and admit the i'ront wheels beneath and facilitate the turning of the carriage, or made straight, as shown by Fig. 1, A A', tbc. \Vithin this truck-f rame A, I suspend a truss-frameB B', the., byits pivots O near the forward end, while the rear is The windlass D is used for the purpose ot' inclining the apparatus against a building or restorin git to its perpendicular position when so inclined. The sides of this truss-frame have a longitudinal slot I, Fig. 4, in which the rod K, connected on each side with a rack P, moves to and from the center by means of the pinions M on the shaft N, as shown. To this rod K the lower end of the expanding and contracting series of cross-levers or lazytongs marked l of each series is attached and moved by it with the rack. The rod L supports the lower end of the lazy-tong marked 2, and is atlixed into the sides of the truss.

On each side of the truss are a series of these parallel cross-levers or lazy-tongs, numbered l to 20, or more, if desired, held together by proper pins at their crossings, upon which they move. These two series are united at regular intervals by cross-ties, one of which is partly shown at O, Fig. 3, all movingsimultaneo'usly with the lower pieces l 2 in being elevated or depressed, as aforesaid. (Shown extended and elevated by Fig. 2 and folded upon one another, as in Fig; l, indicated by the red rod and lines, Fig. 3.) Between the two series of these extension-elevators,at regular intervals, is hu n g a short ladder,gradually narrowing upward-*that is, so that the upper ladder may enter the next beneath it-between the side pieces or support of the rounds between them. These ladders are marked I, II, to V. The lower end of each ladder rests upon the upper round ot the ladder below it. There is also a projecting piece x, or several of them, on the back ot' the sides, which rest upon the rounds of the lower ladder next each at any point of elevation, keeping the ladders locked one upon the other when in use, thereby giving firmness and strength to the apparatus.

In order to unlock the ladders so as to lower them, a rope VI is attached to the top or plat form 23 and passed around the lower round of each section of the ladder and carried through a loop ou the truck-frame. By extending this rope the ladders are drawn out, as shown by the red lines on Fig. 2, and allows the lazy-tongs to contact, carrying theladders with them into the folded position shown by Fig. 1. On the shaft N there is also a ratchet and click R to aid in holding and regulate the motions of the elevators or lazy-tongs.

In large or' weighty elevators, in order to facilitate the starting of the same, there is an arm F, with a pulley G at its top, affixed to the upright E by a pivot or pin, by which it can vbe-laid down, as shown, Thers is also a lpulley e on the inside of the upright E, Fig.

et. A rope H, attached to the upper series of lazy-tongs or levers on each side, passes around those pulleys and extends to the windlass C,'on which they are held by a button. Thus by means of the windlass the elevators are easily raised to some height, where they will remain stationary. The ropes are then disengaged from the windlass and pulleys,

vand mayv then be used to steady, if need be,

the apparatus While it is being extended to itsutmost height by meansv of the racks and pinions and turn-handles on the sides. By having spikes h to the end of the ropes they may be driven into the ground and laid as braces, if desired. When thus elevated, the apparatus is easily inclined by means of the the straps and windlass D in the rear against any roof or building for the various purposes contemplated in a lire-escape, &c. Fig. also illustrates a better arrangement for raising the arm F and starting the lazy-tongs or levers by changing the pulley e and raising it on a stipe for the rope VI, to be Wound on a separate pulley ou the shaft of the hose-reel Y, thereby making it less liable to confusion in fixing the ropes H.

In order to save the expense of a separate hose-carriage, a reel Yfor hose is attached to the rear of the truck-frame.

As it is desirable toV remove the reel with the wet and dirty hose from close contact with the truck when washing the same, I propose to hinge the side arms fu, Fig. 5, at Qc, which support the reel Y T, and secure the said side arms between an iron staple V of sufficient strength, having a screw-thread cut in its front union of the sides, withahandled screw WV to confine said arms, respectively, or to allow the reel to be separated from the truck for the purpose named.

The facility with which this apparatus can be used and the great advantage it aords are readily comprehended, and it promises to be of the greatest utility in alleys or narrow courts, where long ladders cannot be run up against dwellings, and, in short, it presents altogether an apparatus-greatly needed.-

I am aware that the cross-,slats or expanding and contracting levers are vnot new,l and that they have been employed as extensionelevators in elevating persons-.aswell as other devices employed. I therefore do not claim any of the above-described devices separately considered. f u

What I claim-as my invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is- A v l. The independent ladders, fiveorrmore in number, suspended by their upper ends 0n pivots between the elevating cross-levers, one above the other,fsuccessively narrowed, with their stay-catches in combination wit-h the rope VI, attached in the manner andrfor the purpose specified. n

2. The truss or supporting frame B, with its jointed side pieces F F, when the sameis'held on pivots O between or inside of the frame A of the hose-carriage, with its reel Y operated by means of the windlass D Yand vby straps d (or their equivalent) for the purpose of inclining the ladders, in the manner and for the purpose speciied. Y

ANTHONI ISKE. Vitnesses: p

CHAs. R. FRAILEY, JACOB STAUFFER. 

